J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

NC accuses govt of refusing
aircraft to Governor
Jammu, February 27
Notwithstanding the denial by the Jammu and Kashmir Governor, the opposition National Conference leaders continue to accuse the state government of “slighting” Mr S.K. Sinha, by refusing him the government aircraft for visiting snow affected areas of the state. The Governor, Mr S.K. Sinha, told a group of mediapersons accompanying him in an Army plane that the reports of rift with Chief Minister, Mufti Mohd Sayeed were incorrect.

BSF reaches inaccessible areas
Srinagar, February 27
The Border Security Force today reached the inaccessible avalanche-hit areas of south Kashmir to supplement relief and rescue operations. Some 300 personnel established base camps at Kokernag, Kapran, Aru and Achhabal and joined the rescue and relief operations in the surrounding inaccessible areas, BSF IG J.B. Negi said.

Two militants killed
Srinagar, February 27
Three persons, including two militants, were killed in separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir, the police said today. One militant was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Salwah in the Mendhar sector of Poonch district today, a police spokesman said.

NC accuses govt of refusing aircraft to Governor
Our Correspondent

Jammu, February 27
Notwithstanding the denial by the Jammu and Kashmir Governor, the opposition National Conference leaders continue to accuse the state government of “slighting” Mr S.K. Sinha, by refusing him the government aircraft for visiting snow affected areas of the state.

The Governor, Mr S.K. Sinha, told a group of mediapersons accompanying him in an Army plane that the reports of rift with Chief Minister, Mufti Mohd Sayeed were incorrect.

Official sources said the Governor had sought state government aircraft for touring snow-affected areas but the plane was not made

available to him.

Thereafter, he did not repeat his demand for the state aircraft and instead sought a chopper from the Air Force, which could not go beyond Banihal. He visited the snow-hit valley in an Air Force aircraft, which carried essential items, including vegetables, on February 21.

Today the Governor visited Poonch, parts of Doda and Banihal in an Air Force chopper to see the impact of snow and avalanches.

Also, the sources say, a couple of senior bureaucrats have “restricted” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Jammu on Sunday to the airport where he would meet government functionaries and party workers besides mediapersons.

Initially, the Prime Minister was scheduled to fly from Jammu airport to the Raj Bhavan where after lunch he was to interact with government functionaries besides the Governor and the Chief Minister.

The sources said the programme of flying to the Raj Bhavan was changed “on security reasons.”

The sources said it was not mandatory for the state’s constitutional head to visit the snow-affected areas.

But Mr S.K. Sinha showed courage to visit the affected areas.

BSF reaches inaccessible areas
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, February 27
The Border Security Force today reached the inaccessible avalanche-hit areas of south Kashmir to supplement relief and rescue operations.

Some 300 personnel established base camps at Kokernag, Kapran, Aru and Achhabal and joined the rescue and relief operations in the surrounding inaccessible areas, BSF IG J.B. Negi said.

All BSF units deployed in Pahalgam, Kulgam and Kokernag have already commenced their medical aid camps at Laripora, Mamal, Pahalgam, Aru, Shurat, Kanipura, Dadipura, Daksum, Rajkainar, Kanandrug mohalla and Yichu for the affected people, he said.

While the state government is yet to formulate the list of victims and their kin, the police and security forces continued their rescue operations for the eighth consecutive day in Waltengoo Naad, and other affected areas today.

A Defence spokesman said work was in progress to clear snow on the stretch of 3 km south of Jawahar tunnel, up to which the road was cleared for two-way traffic from Jammu.

A 3.5-km stretch south of the tunnel had also been cleared, he said.

The Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained blocked for the ninth day today.

On the north portal, nine snowploughs and one snow-cutting machine were employed for clearing the snow.

He said five sorties of MI-17 and 21 sorties of aviation helicopter had been made so far to drop essential commodities. Five more sorties of MI-17 helicopters dropped five tonnes of foodgrain and fodder in Kapran, Larnu and Daksum, the spokesman said.

Also, four companies of Indo-Tibetan Border Police were flown in to accelerate the operations in south Kashmir.

ITBP personnel would be put into operation in the worst-hit Waltingunar and other affected areas, IG, Kashmir, J.A. Makhdoomi said. “They will start their operations from the Waltingunar, Nigarnar, Nailoo, Kapran and other areas,” Makhdoomi said.

The Army has also deployed 20 specialist mountaineering teams from Siachen and high-altitude warfare schools in the avalanche-ravaged areas, according to a Defence official.

The death toll has mounted to 272 with 30 reported still missing, while 476 persons have been rescued so far in the state.

SHIMLA: Higher reaches in Himachal Pradesh had another spell of moderate snowfall, while the mid and lower hills had scattered rain accompanied by strong icy winds today.

The Dhauladhar ranges in Kangra had moderate snowfall while McLeodganj and Dharamsala were lashed by rain. The inclement weather has cast shadow over the three-day cricket match between Pakistan and Board’s XI to be played at Dharamsala from March 3 to 5.

Shimla and its surrounding areas experienced mild rain. Strong icy winds swept the region, causing sharp fall in the day’s temperature which had shown upward trend during past three days.

The avalanche threat loomed large over high-altitude tribal areas and the tribal valleys of Lahaul, Spiti, Pangi and Pin reeled under biting cold wave conditions.

Two militants killed

Srinagar, February 27
Three persons, including two militants, were killed in separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir, the police said today. One militant was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Salwah in the Mendhar sector of Poonch district today, a police spokesman said.

He said another militant was killed in a gunbattle with the security forces at Morah Kallabat in the Surankote sector last night.

The police found the body of Mohammad Ayub Sheikh at Dewan Bagh in Baramula district yesterday. — PTI